Comments on: tuesday.

By: grace

grace — Sun, 31 May 2009 17:19:49 +0000

Aww! How Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Katy

Katy — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:20:39 +0000

Yet another Cribsheet lurker! And yet another one who’s been inspired to have a new perspective on all the “little things” since reading your story. So I won’t go into all the things everyone else here has already said better than me!

But just to share something that might help with the sleeping…the best advice I have ever gotten about newborns is to KEEP SWADDLING THEM! They sleep so much better (and LONGER!)…it saved my life with our newborn, when I thought I would lose my mind from no sleep.

If memory serves, a doula showed you how to wrap Maddie at one point, and I hope you have found that successful and helpful. Another good resource is the book (and DVD) “The happiest Baby on the Block” by Harvey Karp.

Beyond that, I can’t tell you anything about how to be a good dad…sounds like you’re doing a great job on your own! I am so glad that you have what sounds like a great support network.

Thanks so much for sharing your story with all of us. Please let us know if we can help in any way.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:53:22 +0000

I was told of your blog on the Justmommies forum, and have been lurking since you first brought Madeline home. I just wanted to thank you for your sharing your story and let you know there’s another (complete stranger) out there who is reading your story and wishing you and Maddy the best.

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:37:48 +0000

she will comfort you for the rest of your life, in ways you can never now even fathom…….just wait, it really does only get better.
I think of you both every day, thank you for posting the photos of well, your new life.

By: g-mom

g-mom — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:12:23 +0000

matt – i am another cribsheet reader. i’ve been ‘checking in’ on you and madeline regularly. I am so deeply sorry about your loss of Liz. i have a 1-year-old daughter, so some things are still fresh in my mind if you’d like to connect via email. i’d love to help in any way i can; listening, sharing, laughing, crying

By: Laurie

Laurie — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:33:10 +0000

Matt, it�s amazing to me how many people have been so touched by this virtual slice of your life. I�m another stranger to you, just a friend of a friend� but you and little Madeline haven�t been far from my mind much since I first happened upon your blog. I know it�s been said countless times already, but I just had to tell you how incredibly moved and inspired I�ve been, and continue to be, by your posts here. The way you express yourself, both in words and images, is heartbreaking and heartening in nearly the same breath�your ability to hold yourself together with dignity and humor in the face of such tragedy is truly extraordinary. Without ever having met Liz, I can feel her beautiful spirit shining through every photograph, and every word you type. I hope it would have made her smile to know that she and her family have generated such an outpouring of love and kindness from so many people�many of whom she never even knew. It is a remarkable soul who can continue to touch and inspire so many even after they are no longer with us.

Like so many others, I wish that there were words to ease the pain you must be feeling. I suppose all I can really do is add my voice to this remarkable chorus of well-wishers� in sorrow, in sympathy, in compassion, and in the genuine hope that you and your daughter will be, in some small way, comforted by our prayers. I�m so, so sorry, Matt. I hope you continue to find strength in your family, your friends, and of course your little Maddy. Keep talking; keep writing; please don�t worry about making us cry. We bank tellers and postal clerks and nurses and random strangers of the world� we don�t mind. It�s just our way of telling you, in the most basic of human ways, that we all love you�and that you�re not alone.

Best of everything to you�take care.

By: Monica Delaney Elsner

Monica Delaney Elsner — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:48:57 +0000

Hi Matt,

Thinking a lot about you, Maddy and Liz. She was just amazing, I feel so lucky to have known her. She was the rare sort that makes everyone feel like they belong in the circle and like soaking up each moment of life is the only way to live. She did that, put people at ease and brought a sparkle with her. I’ve been thinking about you a lot.

You are inspiring, your words, your approach, your humor. Where are you finding your strength?
Glad to hear people are feeding and feeding you as you feed and feed Madeline!

By: Kristin

Kristin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:35:44 +0000

Matt – I’m going to join the Cribsheet crowd and sendi you my most sincere condolences on the loss of your wife, and my most hearty congratulations on the birth of your precious daughter. My husband and I have a 6-month-old daughter, and I know how intimidating those first weeks of parenthood can be for anyone, let alone a grieving father.

I want to send you a huge vote of confidence by way of my husband’s journey to fatherhood. In the last 6 months, I have watched him go from a “guys-guy” who had never changed a diaper and was not comfortable with any child under the age of 2, to the most loving, tender, caring, capable and confident father I can imagine. I am lucky to have him, and we are lucky to have a sweet little girl. I’m telling you all this stuff about my great hubby because I know that you will be able to give little Maddy such a wonderful gift in your care of her, just as my husband has given our daughter. Sure, you will have plenty of challenges, but I know that you will be a strong, capable, loving parent for her. Liz may have taken care of the shopping, but you will eventually grow accustomed to fatherhood and parenthood and all that it entails. You will no doubt be surprised and amazed by your ability to care for this little creature, and how you will learn to give her literally everything she needs. You have already shown the world how strong you are, even through your tears. You have risen to the occasion even when you may have wanted to crumple in a little ball. For that, you are to be commended. I know that the week and months ahead will not be easy, but don’t ever forget how lucky Maddy is to have a daddy like you.

I think of you and Maddy every day, Matt. Wishing you nothing but the best in “the MN.”

By: Darcie

Darcie — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:16:10 +0000

Hi Matt – Another Cribsheeter here, and I’m a bit embarrassed to say, another lurker! I have been lurking on your site EVERY DAY since I first read your story – it has touched my heart in ways you will never know. I keep you and Maddy in my thoughts and prayers every day. Amazing how you can feel so deeply for someone you have never met…I wonder if you will ever know all of the lives you and your amazing family have touched. As I wrote on the Cribsheet comments. You are my reminder to STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF! A kick in the behind if you will – I have two little ones – a girl 2 and a half and a boy who is 15 months – they test my patience more than I care to admit but now I realize…big deal. Big F’n deal. You are an inspiration to us all and know that we are rooting for you!! Take Care Matt. And again, thank you for allowing us into your life.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:52:27 +0000

Hi Matt,

I am also a Cribsheet reader and found your blog through there. I am not yet a parent myself, but hope to be in the future. I have also been thinking about and praying for you and Maddy every day since I came across your story. It seems like you’ve had a lot of visitors and support from friends and family and I hope that continues for a long time. Your story has reminded me to have a bigger perspective when small problems happen. Also, my best friend had her first child (a boy) via c-section on March 10th. Every day since reading your story I have felt overwhelmingly thankful for my friend and her little one. Thank you for being so open and real and for letting the story of yourself, Liz and Maddy touch so many others.